Racing season set to begin Saturday at the Siskiyou Motor Speedway

By Don Martin IISouthern Oregon Speedway

Friday

Apr 13, 2018 at 9:50 AM

Racing season is about to begin this Saturday at Siskiyou Motor Speedway. Weather permitting, the season kicks off with a five division program that will feature IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, McDonald’s Mini Stocks, the Outlaw Pro Stock Association and the Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars. A strong car count is anticipated for this event.Gates open at 5 p.m., with racing set to begin at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and veterans, $5 for those 6-12, and kids 5 and under are free.Taking center stage in recent years is the IMCA Sport Modified division. The next generation of superstars is rising to the top. In the past, Steve Cheffey and Donny Bottoms were two of the top stars in the Modified division. Now, it’s their sons, Colton Chaffey and DJ Bottoms, leading the way. Last season, DJ picked up the championship while Colton ranked second and had more feature wins than anybody.The youth movement doesn’t stop there. After a strong season in Mini Trucks netted him second in points as the top feature winner of the season, Ethan Killingsworth is moving up to the Sport Modified division. This talented teen may be the driver to beat in the "Rookie Of The Year" battle. Young Jack Walden III will be back to see if he can maintain his Top 5 points status, and the Boswell brothers, Colter and Ryder, will be competing this season. Colter is a past Modified champion at the speedway.The Sport Modified division is loaded with talented competitors, and 2016 champion Jimmy Lipke, Randy Wright, Garrett Hamilton and Cory Biggs are some of the drivers to watch for. As it is early in the season and some tracks aren’t open yet, there could be several visitors.Getting a car count in the IMCA Modified division has been difficult at times. To generate more support, track officials just announced that the IMCA Modified Main Event will pay $750 to win, which should entice a few drivers to run for the increased purse. With nearby Medford not opening their season for a couple of weeks, it’s possible a few drivers will come for this one. Some drivers to watch for this week include two-time reigning champion Nick Trenchard, two-time champion Albert Gill, Zach Fettinger, Kyle Casson, Lenny Toolanen, Duane Orsburn and Bo Shields.Yreka will once again be the home track for the largely Klamath Falls, Oregon based Outlaw Pro Stock division. Their first of ten events is Saturday. On May 5, they will hold the annual Billy Geyer Memorial Race. Dr. Scott Lenz is set to attempt a title defense after a rather dominant performance last season. It won’t be easy for him with 2016 champion Steve Borror making a return as well. Scott Flowers and his son James Flowers hope to make a championship bid this year, and Scott’s wife Ginnny and daughter Julia will also be competing. With other competitors, such as Bryan Hammond, Jeff Haudenshild, Matt Harlow, Johnny Cobb, Scott Bennett, John Bowers and Roy Bain in the group, it should be a good show.McDonald’s Mini Stocks always put on a good show with a roster of top notch talent. Marilyn Yawnick is the two-time reigning champion, but going for three in a row won’t be easy. Two past champions, Mike Whitaker and Terry Kendrick, should be a part of the show again this year. Whitaker was a very strong third in the standings last season. Mike Frost, Dennis Jorgensen, Amber Walden and Guy Morris will also be competing, and word it is there will be a few newcomers on the roster when the season kicks off on Saturday.The Southern Oregon Dwarf Car Association has both of their visits scheduled for this month, starting on Saturday night. Brock Peters is the reigning champion, and he will be looking for that elusive Yreka feature win. Son Cody Peters is anticipated along with such hard chargers as Chad Cardoza, Ryan Smith, Randy Slater, Kalvin Morton and popular long time competitor Fred Hay.With five divisions on the card, the season opener at Siskiyou Motor Speedway will be a show that you won't want this. It offers a little something for everybody. For further information, go to www.siskiyoumotorspeedway.com.

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